SCRABBLE SLAM is a fast-paced word game where anything could happen! Race against each other to change the existing four-letter word and get rid of your cards. “Game” could become “fame” and “fame” could become “fate”—you never know where it’ll go. Be the first player to get rid of all of your cards to win!

Bananagrams is a fast and fun word game that requires no pencil, paper or board. All you need is a table. One hand can be played in as little as five minutes. It is a great for family fun as well as being educational. Bananagrams portability makes it perfect for travel. Just grab the pouch and go.

Bop it, baby! Can you react to the commands fast enough? With the bop it! game, you never know what's coming next!

Bop it, baby! With bop it!, you never know what's coming next. Can you react to the commands quickly enough to beat your high score? Three different orders come at you fast, and there's even a new 'Yell It!' command to keep you guessing. Play the game alone or with a group of friends in the new 'Party Bop' mode!

Fun for the whole family, Bop It is like a modern-day, handheld "Simon Says." After pulling the blue knob to activate the game, just follow the voiced directions and get ready to bop it, twist it, pull it, or shout it! But make sure you do it before the buzzer sounds! Designed for ages eight and up, the game will have you showing off your bopping talent by being the first to "stay alive."

Bop It! Ages: 8+ Requires: 3 "AAA" batteries (included) Phillips screwdriver to replace batteries No assembly required

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: Offers variety of games depending on expertise level or number of players. The Challenging: High scores are reset when batteries are changed. In a Nutshell: Travel-friendly, interactive hand-held game that's great for solo or group play.

Be the first to bop it and "stay alive!" View larger.

Colorful, Interactive, and Easy to Carry
Bop It is the same size of a small, hand-held car vacuum, and is very light--weighing under a pound--making it easy to travel with. The toy is made up of four main components--a large button in the middle to bop, a blue gadget to pull, a yellow gadget to twist, and a green lever to move sideways for shouting.

Once the game is activated, simply follow the voiced directions before the buzzer sounds. As the game goes on, you will take less time with each turn to complete the actions. So be prepared to "bop it" or "pull it" quickly!

Bop It features useful rubber grips around the "twisting" and "pulling" gadgets to prevent it from slipping out of your hands. The bright, primary colors of the gadgets also add to the fun and goofiness of the game itself.

Fun, Competitive Play or Solo Mode
Bop It can be played by one person in solo mode or in a group/party setting. The toy is interactive and mentally stimulating--which keeps the game interesting and challenging for players of all ages. Bop It promotes responsive reflexes and good listening skills, along with lots of twisting, bopping family fun.

What's in the Box
Bop It, three "AAA" batteries and instructions.

Our tactile wooden block game combines the logic and strategy of Set® with the creative multi-maneuver game play of Scrabble®. Easy-to-learn rules mean youll be creating columns and rows of matching colors and shapes in no time! Look for opportunities to score big by placing a tile that touches multiple pieces and matches both shapes and colors; the player with the most points wins. 108 blocks.

What's different about the moon tonight? It's inside your room! Authentically detailed, Moon In My Room hangs on your wall and shines moonlight just like the real moon. Twelve different phase settings let you match what the real moon looks like outside tonight!

Listen to the included audio CD to learn exciting facts about the moon and its unique relationship with planet Earth.

Take the challenge of the only 4-in-a-row game for 4 players. Doubling the grid and doubling the number of players creates more challenge and more fun. Take turns dropping a checker into the grid to create a line of 4 checkers horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, just like the original Connect 4. The double-sided grid allows you to make a line on either side, or by weaving through from one side to the other.For 4 players, ages 8 and up.

Connect 4 x 4 is similar to the classic original, but now you can play with up to four people, and the double-sided grid adds greater complexity and more chances to win. Designed for ages eight and up, Connect 4 x 4 may have doubled the challenge, the amount of players, and the grid--but the fun and scoring are still the same: four in a row and you win!

Connect 4 x 4 Ages: 8+ Required: 4 players

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: Up to four people can play Connect 4 x 4; features new colors and helpful blockers. The Challenging: Younger children may need pointers on the double-sided grid when first playing. In a Nutshell: Fun remake of a favorite game with added challenge and complexity.

Double-sided Grid, More Colors, New Pieces
Connect 4 x 4 is the only checkers four-in-a-row, four-player game--making it perfect for family game nights. With the new double-sided grid, you can score on both the front and back side of the game.

Game play is simple--pick a line, drop a checker in on each turn, and hope that your opponents don't foil your strategy before you get four checkers in a row! The game has also added "blockers," which can be used to block your opponents on both sides of the grid in one turn. However, make sure to save your blockers for when you really need them--you only get two and they are valuable!

When you're finished playing Connect 4 x 4, a convenient locking top slide keeps the pieces on the grid so you never have to worry about lost checkers.

Challenging Remake of a Timeless Favorite
If you grew up playing Connect 4, you'll quickly realize that Connect 4 x 4 is like having both an old favorite and a new game all in one. You can still play the game with two players, but now also have the option of playing with four. The double-sided grid adds a welcome challenge and complexity for long-time Connect 4 players. A word of warning for younger players: the added complexity may be a bit challenging to understand at first, but once they do, they'll definitely be hooked.

What's in the Box
Double-sided grid, 68 checkers (17 of each color), and eight blockers (two of each color).

View larger.	View larger.
The double-sided grid adds more opportunity to score, or be scored against!

Assess the situation and get ready to strike. N-Strike! against your opponents! The Nerf Raider CS-35 NVP Blaster features a pump-action handle to give you total control of firing speed. The drum magazine holds 35 Clip System darts, giving you massive ammo capacity. A clear window lets you see how much ammo you have left. Two blasting modes give you defensive flexibility. Use the slam-fire mode for multiple shots or the slide mode for single shots. This is the pinnacle of blaster performance.

With the largest ammo capacity of any Nerf gun, the Nerf N-Strike Raider CS-35 will make short work of your foam-shooting foes. The blaster can carry up to 35 darts in its drum magazine, and uses a pump-action system to fire them rapidly. Featuring a tactical rail that is compatible with most N-strike accessories, and an adjustable stock, the Raider CS-35 delivers the pinnacle of blaster performance.

N-Strike Raider CS-35 Blaster Ages: 6 and up

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Enormous dart capacity, and 2 modes of rapid fire. The Challenging: Can be time-consuming to reload. In a Nutshell: A truly formidable blaster with a huge ammo capacity.

The N-Strike Raider CS-35 is sure to make short work of your Nerf-blaster foes. View larger.

Maximum Firepower and Versatility
The CS-35 features a durable plastic frame, intended for intense play. It is based a classic Tommy gun design, complete with a drum magazine. This magazine can be used as an accessory with any other compatible N-Strike blasters. The CS-35 comes with an adjustable stock, which you adjust to fit the length of your arm. It also has a tactical rail, which you can equip with a variety of N-Strike accessories.

With a 35-dart capacity, the CS-35 has a truly massive payload of foam. Because of this, you might expect it to be a bit cumbersome, but it is actually surprisingly mobile. The blaster is lightweight enough to sprint with, and you'll be able to blind-fire around a corner with ease. You also shouldn't have to worry about running out of darts. The CS-35 comes with 100 darts, including 65 clip-system darts. The darts are gentle and soft, so younger kids will be able to get in on the action.

There is one downside to the huge dart capacity: each dart has to be reloaded individually, so preparing the blaster for play can take several minutes. Still, the fun you will have is well worth these moments of tedium.

Blast Your Enemies Away
The CS-35 fires reliably in battle, and is free of the jamming that often plagues Nerf guns. It uses a pneumatic pump to propel the darts, allowing you to be in control of the rate of fire. The pump allows for two blasting modes -- multiple darts at a time, or single shots. The multiple-dart mode is particularly fearsome, since it will empty all 35 darts in a matter of seconds.

What's in the Box
Nerf N-Strike Raider CS-35 blaster, drum magazine, 35 normal darts, and 65 clip-system darts.

The blaster carries up to 35 darts in the drum magazine and uses a pump-action system for rapid fire. The tactical rail is compatible with most N-strike accessories and the adjustable stock delivers a comfortable fit for kids six and up. View larger.

This educational kit is loaded with more than 300 projects to build. For example, kids can learn how transistors and capacitors function, and how to make time-delay circuits. In addition, this version includes circuits showing how oscillators and photo sensors work. Projects involve an AM Radio, Burglar Alarm, Radio Announcer and more. Contains over 60 parts. Requires 4 "AA" batteries, not included.

Electronic Snap Circuits by Elenco is an award-winning toy for budding engineers eight years old and above. The SC-300 model includes over 60 parts for creating more than 300 exciting projects. With lights, sounds, motors, and more, you'll not only enjoy creating beeping games, but also learn about basic electronics as well!

Making a simple flying UFO took only a few minutes. View larger.

Create your own complex inventions using parts such as the fan motor, alarm speaker, and over 60 other pieces. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Makes learning about electronics fun. The Bad: Physics principles can be difficult to understand. In a Nutshell: Interactive, hands-on way of playing with electronics that is fun and educational. At a Glance Ages: 8 and older Requires: 4 AA batteries

Real Electronic Parts
Electronic Snap Circuits includes real circuit components just like the circuit boards inside radios, televisions, computers, and other electronic devices. This set makes it easy for anyone to create simple electronic circuits and devices. To operate, you simply snap the electronic elements onto a plastic grid, and then connect them together with wire pieces that snap easily into place.

The SC-300 lets you build electronic devices such as a whistle chip, speaker, alarm circuit, LED, lamp socket, fan motor, and a speaker. Additional pieces can be purchased separately, or in different models, and they can all be used together to create larger and more elaborate projects.

Making Electronics Fun and Easy
The included instruction manual offers 305 projects ranging from a simple light switch to a noise-activated burglar alarm. We found the color-coded instruction manual clear and easy to understand, and we had no problems creating any of the projects we tried. The projects are organized by levels of difficulty, and each project teaches an objective such as "To show how electricity can only pass in one direction through an LED."

We definitely experienced a sense of satisfaction as we completed each project, and we definitely learned about electronics concepts. The manufacturer recommends the set for ages 8-108; younger engineers should be able to easily follow the diagrams for each project, but will probably require their parents to help explain how everything works. So a word of warning to parents: Brush up on your high school physics! Although the instruction offers some good information, we found that we still needed to brush up on the physics we learned years ago so we could understand concepts such as the difference between a circuit in parallel and in series.

Unique Learning Experience
Creating a flying UFO from "scratch" with rudimentary electronic pieces was highly satisfying to us, and we think Electronic Snap Circuits may well help young students gain and foster an appreciation for, and interest in, how electronics work and are built.

For students who are already learning about electronics in school, this set creates a hands-on experience that makes for more fun than reading about how these things work in a textbook. So don't be surprised if report cards come back with higher grades after playing with this toy.

Parent-Child Bonding Experience
The Elenco Electronic Snap Circuits would make a great parent-child bonding experience that is both educational and fun. As you work through each project with your child, don't be surprised when you, too, are learning something new and interesting. And after you've completed all the projects, you can create your own! The combinations are limitless!

What's in the Box
Plastic "circuit board," over 60 pieces including wire, resistors, speaker, battery holder, motor fan, red led, and lamp module.

Celebrate the season with Holiday Barbie. Her shimmering pale pink and golden lamé gown is enhanced by an artfully wrapped bodice and sparkling tulle. Chandelier earrings complete the ensemble and add plenty of holiday glamour.

Product Features:

• Shimmering pale pink and golden lamé gown for a glamorous look
• Gown is accented with a wrapped bodice and sparkling tulle
• Chandelier earrings complete the look
• Special edition makes a great collector's item
• Ages: 6 and up

(Model R9516)

The 2009 Holiday Barbie is the ideal collector's item for the Barbie lover in your home. And this year, Barbie is not only celebrating the holidays, she is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Barbie doll -- making her a particularly special collectible. Designed for ages six and up, the 2009 Holiday Barbie is wearing a gorgeous bejeweled, multilayered pink gown. Your child will love showing her off to friends, or propping her up on her doll stand for everyone to admire.

2009 Holiday Barbie Ages: 6+

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: The 2009 Holiday Barbie is celebrating Barbie's 50th anniversary. The Challenging: Serious collectors should keep the box unopened. In a Nutshell: The 2009 Holiday Barbie is a collectible for every Barbie lover.

Celebrate Barbie's 50th anniversary with this particularly special collectible. View larger.

Elegant and Timeless
2009 Holiday Barbie is elegant and timeless in a shimmering pale pink and gold lame gown with bejeweled tulle. Her bodice is skillfully crafted with a beautiful wraparound bow, and her chandelier earrings with matching pink gems complete the look. The Holiday Barbie comes with her own doll stand that can be hidden beneath her flowing dress.

The stand allows her to stand up alone on a table -- or shelf -- in between uses or for decoration. The delicate textures and dazzling materials of her gown make it hard not to want to touch or play with Holiday Barbie.

Perfect Gift for Barbie Lovers and Collectors
The Holiday Barbie has always been a collector's item. But the 2009 Holiday Barbie is truly special since she's also a 50th anniversary Barbie and part of the Special Occasion Collection. Barbie's beautiful gown and stunning jewels make her an unforgettable and wonderful vision for the holidays. She will be one of the prettiest dolls in your child's collection.

What's in the Box
Barbie doll, gown, earrings, shoes, and doll stand.

2009 Holiday Barbie is wearing an elegant, shimmering gown with bejeweled tulle. This anniversary doll comes with her own stand that can be easily hidden beneath her flowing dress.

The Crayola Glow Station lets kids create cool, glowing masterpieces using a glow-in-the-dark, poster-sized canvas and one Light Wand with crystal-tip attachment for magical coloring effects. Supplies include 2 stencil sheets, 13 stencil "light-resist" shapes, 2 light texture sheets and one dry erase broadline marker.

The award-winning Crayola Glow Station empowers kids to create incredible illustrations in a whole new way -- with light! The Glow Station is the place for kids to become glow-in-the-dark artists -- using a light wand and stencils to make luminous illustrations on the glow canvas. Drawing with the wand encourages kids to use the artistic and fine-motor skills they've started learning in school. Recommended for children ages six and up, this activity center is a fun way to create, alone or with a friend.

Glow Station Ages: 6+ Requires: 3 "AAA" batteries (not included)

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Glow-in-the-dark fun with loads of ways to play and create. The Challenging: Stencils not as stimulating as freehand drawing. In a Nutshell: Glowing canvas with light wand lets kids make amazing luminous creations.

The Glow Station comes with plenty of stencils and texture sheets for your child to experiment with. View larger.

Using the light wand, kids can create luminous, glow-in-the-dark drawings. View larger.

Award-winning Design: Kids and Parents Agree
A 2009 Winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Best Toy Award, the Crayola Glow Station is a hit with kids and adults. Kids will love watching as their ideas literally come to light on the canvas. And parents will love how it works the imagination without creating a giant mess. It even helps cleans up after itself: Over time the light drawings magically disappear from the glow canvas, making room for more glow-in-the-dark works of art!

The perfect poster size for creating and displaying drawings, the glow canvas hangs well from a wall or bedroom door. The darker the location, the better it is for glowing. Made from durable blue plastic, the top and bottom of the canvas provide spaces for everything, including stencil-sheet hooks and holders for the light wand, crystal tip, and stencil shapes. And when it's time to be put away, the canvas rolls up for easy storage.

Start from Scratch or Take Some Pointers
Packed with stencils and texture sheets, the Glow Station gives kids lots of places and ideas to start. Stencil sheets and shapes of animals and space objects let kids trace with the glowing light wand.

With the light texture sheets, they can give these shapes -- and their own creations -- lifelike effects, like spider webs and exotic animal prints. Of course, it's also fun to use the light wand to make luminous freehand drawings. Or, with the crystal tip attachment, create sparkling stars.

Ready, Set, Glow!
The Crayola Glow Station stands out from ordinary glow-in-the-dark toys. Not only does it glow exceptionally well, but it encourages kids to play, use imagination, and create art in new ways. While the texture sheets give a cool dimension to stencil tracings, it's just as much fun -- and less cumbersome -- to draw freehand on the glow canvas. But with so many options, kids won't ever have to choose just one way to create with light.

What's in the Box
Glow station light canvas, light wand with crystal attachment, 2 stencil sheets, 13 stencil tracer shapes, and 2 light texture sheets.

The challenge of Quiddler is to arrange your entire hand into words. Draw and discard in turn. Try to use those high point letters, but don't get caught with them uncombined! Quiddler is fast paced because you can play using everyday words. A bonus is given for the most words in each round (so little words can help you win), as well as for the longest word. Quiddler is a delightful challenge for both rookies and word game lovers. Quiddler is for up to eight players.

The rules are brutal, but the rewards are worth it in this card game that works a bit like Scrabble. Although there is a solitary version of the game for one player, you can play with up to eight. Cards containing letters of the alphabet and special combinations of letters are dealt in increasing number each time the dealer completes a round. Once you've collected your share, you can discard and pick up a new card with each turn. The object is to turn all the letters in your possession into dictionary-proof words while leaving one stray card as a final discard. You want to be the first to accomplish the goal, of course, but there is a scoring system that makes the play competitive for everyone. One nice element is the cards themselves: the letter design is based on beautiful artwork from Celtic manuscripts. This card game is a 1999 Parents' Choice Silver Award winner. --Tom Keogh

One of the most successful games of all time, Settlers of Catan is a trading and building game set in the mythical world of Catan. Players roll dice to determine which resources are generated each round and then must strategically trade those resources with other players to get what they need to build their settlements, cities, and roads. With multiple ways to gain victory points and a board that changes in every play, Settlers of Catan is a game that can be played hundreds of different ways. The base of a hugely successful franchise, with multiple engaging expansions, Settlers is the core game of many collections, and is a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends. For 3 to 4 players.

The Settlers of Catan from Mayfair Games is an award-winning strategy game where players collect resources and use them to build roads, settlements and cities on their way to victory. The board itself is variable, making each game a little different from the next. Each round of The Settlers of Catan is intended to keep three or four players ages 10 and above engaged for up to 90 minutes.

The game map changes every time for an endless variety of play. View larger.

Settlers of Catan engages both children and adults, garnering best-seller status in both Germany and the US. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Engaging strategy game that's different each time you play The Bad: Requires three or four players In a Nutshell: The Settlers of Catan is fun, easy to learn, and keeps advanced players on their toes At a Glance Ages: 10 and up Requires: Three or four players

On the Road to Settlement
The game rules and almanac booklet sets out four pages of guidelines for getting started. Don't worry, the rules are straightforward and the four pages include plenty of illustrations. There's a starting map that shows a well-balanced set-up for beginners to follow and directions that allow more advanced players to lay out the map of the island at random. You'll have to pop the die-cut components of the game out of their cardboard holders before you play your first game.

The almanac portion of the booklet is laid out alphabetically, so while playing you can find answers to specific questions quickly. Useful entries remind you exactly what role pieces like the robber play, how actions like maritime trade work, and how to set up the board or finish the game.

Exploring and Developing Catan
The board consists of 19 terrain hexes surrounded by the ocean. Each type of terrain produces a different type of resource: brick, wool, ore, grain or lumber. There's also a desert hex that produces no resources. As the game progresses, players use resources to build roads along the edges of these hexes and settlements or cities on the intersections where three hexes meet. Each player begins the game with two settlements and two roads.

Each player's roll of the dice causes certain hexes to produce resources, which you collect if you have a settlement on one of them. On your turn, you'll use various combinations of the resources you've acquired to build new roads and settlements, upgrade settlements to cities, or purchase development cards. The ability to trade resources with other players adds a new level of strategy and ensures that the game includes lots of interaction between players. You can also trade without worrying about other players using an unfavorable maritime trade rate. Elements including a robber piece that lets you steal from other players and a variety of development cards add intrigue to the game.

The objective of The Settlers of Catan is to be the first one who collects 10 victory points. Each settlement is worth one victory point and each city is worth two victory points. You can also earn victory points by holding the "Longest Road" card, the "Largest Army" card, or special victory point development cards.

Best-Selling Game of the Year
It's easy to see why The Settlers of Catan has been recognized as a best-selling Game of the Year in both Germany and the U. S. We found this game to be fun and engaging for both children and adults, and the variable nature of the playing field really made us want to play again and again. When we started pausing to contemplate our opponents' strategy and factoring the probability of different dice rolls into our moves, the game sometimes took longer than expected, but we were so engrossed we didn't even notice until it was all over.

Due to the widespread popularity of the original game, several expansion sets (sold separately) are available that allow you to explore new aspects of the game or add more players. The only downside to this game is that you need to have either three or four players to play, so it's great that expansion sets are available that will allow you to add players.

What's in the Box
Six sea frame pieces, 19 terrain hexes, nine harbor pieces, 18 circular number tokens, 126 game cards, 16 cities, 20 settlements, 60 roads, two dice, a robber and a rules and almanac booklet.

March into battle with the Clone Army! As the Clone Wars rage across the galaxy, the Republic army advances across the battlefields of hundreds of planets. Build up your army with the Clone Walker, a tough 2-man vehicle with poseable legs and flick-firing missiles!Clone Walker Battle Pack includes 2 Clone Troopers, Clone Gunner, Clone Commander and ARC trooper gear. Build your army and add #8015 Assassin Droids Battle Pack for even more fun. This Lego Star Wars set has 72 pieces and measures over 3.5 inches (8cm) tall. Recommended for ages 6-12.The Lego brand is more than simply a familiar logo. It is the expectations that people have of the company - towards its products and services, and the accountability that the Lego Group feels towards the world around it. The brand acts as a guarantee of quality and originality. They achieve their mission by constantly focusing on their strong brand. Lego strives constantly to develop innovative products which promote creativity and fun-packed play.

Quench your thirst for more Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the gang! Test your Twilight movie knowledge with this Scene It? DVD game! Collectible metal tokens included. Features heart-stopping clips from the hit film!

Scene It? Twilight Deluxe Edition features hundreds of heart-stopping clips, trivia questions, and on-screen puzzlers from the Twilight movie phenomenon! Experience customized mini-games and bonus activities that are unique to the Scene It? Twilight Game. They will challenge your observation, memory, and puzzle-solving skills. This game will quench players' thirsts for more Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, and the gang, while reliving favorite Twilight movie moments again and again! Includes game DVD, 4 collectible metal tokens, 100 trivia cards, 30 fate cards, 6-sided die, 8-sided die, and instruction sheet.

Quench your thirst for trivia with Twilight Scene It? Deluxe Edition. Recommended for ages 13 and older, this DVD/trivia game features hundreds of questions about all of your favorite moments from the Twilight movie. More than just a trivia game, Scene It? also challenges you to use observation, memory, wordplay, and problem-solving to decode special DVD puzzles. Designed for two or more players, this trivia game is ideal for both serious and casual fans of Twilight.

Scene It? Deluxe Twilight Edition Ages: 13+ Players: 2 or more Requires: DVD player TV Remote control

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Novelty factor: The Good: Unique DVD puzzles and trivia appeals to Twilight fans of all levels. The Challenging: Limited target audience, might turn off non-fans. In a Nutshell: An interactive DVD/board game, made especially for Twilight fans.

The ultimate Twilight trivia experience, this DVD/board game is packed with Twilight-themed trivia, puzzles, and mini-games. View larger.

A Dazzling Twilight Experience
From the game pieces to the trivia cards, every aspect of Twilight Scene It? has been infused with the spirit of Twilight. The game begins with players choosing one of four collectible tokens to represent their team. Sculpted out of metal, these tokens have been modeled after some of Twilight's most iconic items: Charlie's house, a baseball, Bella's truck, and Edward's piano.

Teams advance around the board by answering two types of questions: traditional trivia cards and DVD-based puzzles. The trivia cards, which resemble what you might find in Trivial Pursuit, provide questions in a wide range of difficulty. Some of the tougher questions are challenging enough to stump even the most devoted Twilight fans. Players can also strategically use special "Fate Cards" to throw their opponents off course.

The main attraction, however, is the interactive DVD. Hosted by Dr. Carlisle Cullen (played by Peter Facinelli), it is filled with hundreds of video clips, sound bites, and images from the movie. When players draw a DVD challenge card, they must solve a video puzzle. These puzzles range from memory games to message decryptions, and will put your knowledge of Twilight to the test.

Fun for Every Level of Twilight Fan
The DVD has been designed with the fans in mind. Everything about it has been adapted from the film, right down to the gothic font used for the menus. You'll see cameos by your favorite characters and relive classic moments from the film. Also included are several mini-games, so you can get a quick Twilight fix even when you're not playing the board game.

With hundreds of questions, Twilight Scene It? has something for every type of Twilight fan. The difficulty is varied enough to keep everyone engaged -- from Twilight die-hards to casual fans. Also, some of the video puzzles are completely self-contained, so even non-fans can participate in the game.

What's in the Box
DVD, game board, 4 collectible metal tokens, 100 trivia cards, 30 Fate cards, 1 six-sided numbered die, 1 eight-sided category die, 4 category reference cards, and instruction sheet.

View larger.

View larger.

View larger.

Find it fast, find it first! Pictureka is the exciting game of visual hide and seek. Players compete to collect the most mission cards to win the game. Great for the whole family, and kids as young as six can play with older kids and parents. No batteries required.

Apples to Apples is the game of hilarious comparisons! It's as easy as "comparing apples to apples"... just open the box, deal the cards, and you're ready to play. Select the card from your hand that you think is best described by a card played by the judge. If the judge picks your card, you win that round. And everyone gets a chance to be the judge. Each round is filled with surprising and outrageous comparisons from a wide range of people, places, things and events. Includes over 1,000 cards.

Apples to Apples is an award-winning party game that will have everyone laughing. We had a blast playing this game and think it is a perfect game for a "board game night" with friends and family. It is quick to set up, easy to learn, challenging, and a whole lot of fun.

The party box includes over a thousand cards for many card combinations. View larger.

Unexpected and funny comparisons make the game fun to come back to again and again. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Quick set up; inspires quick thinking and creativity; fun for whole family The Bad: Not as fun without at least five players; subject matter targeted for mid-teens and older In a Nutshell: Quick-paced board game requires just a minute to set up and will have everyone laughing for hours At a Glance Ages: 12 and up Requires: At least four players

Smart, Award-Winning Fun
Apples to Apples has won numerous awards including "Party Game of the Year" by Games magazine and "Mensa Select" by Mensa International. And for good reason: it involves quick thinking, humor, and strategy. For teens, the game teaches them to think about how different things can be compared to one another and how analogies are formed. One of our criticisms is that although the game states that it is designed for ages 12 and older, many of the subjects are clearly for older teens.

Hilarious Comparisons and Analogies
The name of the game is a play on the phrase "apples to oranges," and the game is about making comparisons between different things. General game play is as follows: players are dealt red cards which have a noun printed on them, and the judge (a different player in each turn) draws a green card on which an adjective is printed and places it for all players to see. Each player then chooses a red card they are holding that they think best describes the green card. The judge then decides which adjective she likes best.

The fun is in the variety of unexpected comparisons people make, sometimes apt, funny, creative, or simply absurd. For example: people might match "Awkward" with "Oil Spills," "My First Kiss," "Dandruff," and "Gold Chains. " Or: "Painful" with "High School Reunions" and "Regis Philben. " Strategy comes into play since, because each player takes turns being the judge, you begin to pick up on the preferences of each player and tailor your choices accordingly.

Players can also try variations on the basic game play. For example, instead of choosing the most apt comparison, players might try choosing the red card that is least like the green one. These variations keep the game fresh and interesting every time.

Conversation Kick Starter
Part of the fun is in standing up for your choices. For instance, you might discuss why you think "Regis Philben" is painful, or segue into a discussion of the embarrassing situations you got into on your first day of school, or your first kiss. Apples to Apples excels as an ice breaker and promotes a good amount of social interaction, as many conversations will be kick started thanks to these little cards.

More Players, More Fun
Although the box states that the game is playable with just four players, we found that the game is a lot more fun when there are at least five or six players. This increases both the frequency of funny answers and also requires players to refine their strategy a little more. Once we got going, hours passed, and it was only the lateness of the hour that reminded some of us that we had to go home.

This Party Box set comes with more than 1,000 cards total, and will entertain for a long time. Additional expansion sets are available to further increase the variety of word combinations.

What's in the Box
756 Red Apple Cards, 252 Green Apple Cards, card tray, quick play rules.

New updates make this classic game even more exciting in this aim, slide and score target game. In SORRY! Sliders, you'll have a blast sliding and bumping someone back to start. But watch out -- it won't be so enjoyable when it happens to you! Modular game board provides four ways to play. For 1 to 4 players.

Sorry! Sliders has put a fun, new twist on the all-time favorite game by turning it into a shuffle board game of sorts--where players slide their pawns to home, or slide their opponents pawns into the Sorry! spaces and off the board to win. Designed for children ages six and up, Sorry! Sliders can be played with up to four players, making it the perfect game for family nights.

Sorry! Sliders Ages: 6+ Requires: Adult assembly 1 to 4 players

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: The Good: Everyone plays at the same level--even smaller children can win. The Challenging: Older kids may eventually lose interest in repeated play. In a Nutshell: Fun new take on the classic game of Sorry!

Pawns have balls on the bottom for super sliding power. View larger.

Four Different Games for Slider Fun
The Sorry! Sliders game features the primary Sorry! colors of blue, red, yellow, and green. There are 16 rolling pawns, and 16 scoring pawns which are smaller in size and do not contain the rolling balls in the bottom. The game also includes four different versions of gameplay--a fun, new variation from the original Sorry! that only offers one way to play. Sorry! Sliders is also very easy to clean up, since the cards have been eliminated.

Great for Family Game Night and Counting Practice
Sorry! Sliders doesn't require a lot of strategy or skill level, so it can be played with all different age groups while remaining fun and interesting for everyone. Plus, it is a game that you can play for either a short or long period of time.

Sorry! Sliders can also have educational values for younger children working on their counting skills, since players have to count up points and add up final scores. And with easy setup and cleanup to boot, it's hard not to welcome the newest Sorry! game into your home.

What's in the Box
Two two-sided target boards, four tracks, four score boards, eight side rails, three blocker rails, 16 roller pawns, and 16 scoring pawns.

Same favorite colors and same idea--yet twice the fun!

This award winning card game is for one or more players. It is recommended for ages six and above. The object of the game is to identify "sets" of three cards. Each card is unique in its four features; color - red, green or purple, symbol - diamond, squiggle or oval, shading - solid, striped or open, and number - 1, 2 or 3. A "set" consists of three cards on which each feature is either the same on all of the cards, or different on all of the cards. This game contains complete instructions for play, 81 cards, and a durable plastic carrying case.

SET is a card game of quick recognition and deduction. Each card contains one of three symbols (squiggles, diamonds, ovals) in varying numbers (up to three), colors (purple, green, red), and degrees of shading. A dealer arranges 12 cards, face up, and the players--without taking turns--hastily scrutinize the images for logical "sets" of three cards linked by combinations of sameness or difference. It's not as complicated as it sounds: examples include a trio of paired ovals with increasing levels of shading between cards, or disparate symbols in different colors which increase in number on each card (card one has a green squiggle, card two a pair of purple ovals, card three a trio of diamonds). The trick is to keep calm while trying to make the rapid connections. The Darwinian nature of the game (remember: everyone plays simultaneously) is certain to cause some feistiness among more competitive players. --Tom Keogh

Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products Winner We venture even Edison would be intrigued. Prepare to engineer 101 exciting, useful electronic gadgets & play lively electronic games with Snap Circuits Jr! This kit features a great collection of materials! The colorful and easy-to-follow format of the instruction manual makes circuit assembly stress-free and fun. All projects are simple to build and understand. Perfect for the novice engineer. All parts are mounted on plastic modules and snap together with ease. Leave the tools in the garage; everything you need for your electronics learning adventure is included. With Snap Circuits Jr. your understanding of electronics is a SNAP! 101 High Interest Projects Just a few: Flying Saucer, Music Alarm Combo, Pencil Alarm, Space War Flicker, Voice Controlled Lamp, Quiet Zone Game, Spin Draw, Race Game, Using Parts as Conductors, Strobe the House Lights, Spinning Rings, Reflection Detector, Space Battle, Clap Sounds, Light Police Siren, Alarm Circuit, 2 Speed Fan, Conduction Detector, Musical Doorbell, and more 30+ Parts Included A partial list follows: Base Grid (11 inches x 7.7 inches) Snap Wires Battery Holders Red Light Emitting Diode 3.2 V Bulb 2.5V Lamp Socket Whistle Chip Slide Switch Press Switch Speaker Music Integrated Circuit Alarm Integrated Circuit Space War Integrated Circuit Motor Fan Resistors Jumper Wire Black Jumper Wire Red (2 AA Batteries Required Not Included) Have Fun Learning all about Electronics! Over 30 Easy to Identify, Color-Coded Parts Projects Go Together with Ease Create Your Own Exciting Experiments & Games 2 AA Batteries Required (Not Included) No Tools Required Ages 8+

The Maverick blaster features a six-dart rotating barrel with easy flip loading so you don't have to waste any time while blasting enemy targets. Rapid launching action increases your battle speed and accuracy. Other features include a pullback mechanism and auto-advancing barrel.

The Maverick is a part of the N-Strike team, so you can snap it onto the Unity Power System (sold separately) and ratchet the NERF action up another notch. This incredibly cool Maverick blaster has a six-dart barrel with flip-open action for easy loading that puts you right back in the game. Blaster comes with six darts and instructions.

Like the gun toted by the cowboy hero with whom it shares its name, the Maverick is a six shooter. Unlike the gun that other Maverick had, however, this weapon shoots only soft suction darts that can fly across a room and adhere to a window or other glass surface. The Maverick features a rotating barrel, which makes it easier to keep the firepower flying in the midst of heated battle and a futuristic look to better engender sci-fi fantasy play if you so choose. For a little extra power boost, the gun also has a pump mechanism. In our informal test, the darts flew surprisingly far and impressively straight. --Charlie Williams

Features real clips, puzzlers and trivia about America's favorite dysfunctional family. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Simpsons, this game includes everyone's favorite Springfield residents, guest stars and more from the first two decades of the show!

Test your knowledge of Simpsons trivia with The Simpsons Scene It? Deluxe Edition. Recommended for ages 13 and older, this DVD/trivia game celebrates the Simpsons' 20th anniversary, and features material from the show's first 19 seasons. More than just a trivia game, Scene It? also challenges you to use observation, memory, wordplay, and problem-solving to decode special DVD puzzles. Designed for two or more players, this hilarious trivia game is ideal for Simpsons fanatics and casual fans alike.

Scene It? Deluxe The Simpsons Edition Ages: 14+ Players: 2 or more Requires: DVD player TV Remote control

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Novelty factor: The Good: Unique DVD puzzles and trivia appeals to Simpsons fans of all levels. The Challenging: Limited target audience, might turn off non-fans. In a Nutshell: An interactive DVD/board game, made especially for Simpsons fans.

This Simpsons' 20th anniversary DVD trivia game is a dream come true for Simpsons fans. View larger.

A Trip to Springfield, Trivia Style
From the game pieces to the trivia cards, every aspect of Scene It? has been infused with the charm and humor of The Simpsons. The game begins with players choosing one of four collectible tokens to represent their team. Sculpted out of metal, these tokens have been modeled after some of the show's most recognizable icons: the family TV, the Springfield power plant, the three-eyed fish, and a slushie cup. The game board is collapsible and features two sizes, giving you the option of playing a 15-minute quick game or a 40-minute extended game.

Teams advance around the board by answering two types of questions: traditional trivia cards and DVD-based puzzles. The trivia cards, which resemble what you might find in Trivial Pursuit, come in three different categories: green "general" questions, orange "song/dialogue" questions, and yellow "pop culture" questions. They vary in difficulty, and some of the tougher questions are challenging enough to stump even the most fervent Simpsons fans.

The main attraction, however, is the interactive DVD. Featuring hundreds of video clips, sound bites, and images from the show, the DVD challenges players to solve brain-teasing Simpsons puzzles. With a variety of different puzzle categories, the DVD puts your knowledge of The Simpsons to the test. Categories include "Krusty's Cartoon Cut 'Em Ups," where players must identify a character based on a distorted image, and "Blank-Diddly Blank," which challenges players to decode clever wordplay.

Fun for Every Level of Simpsons Fan
The DVD has been designed with the fans in mind. Released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Simpsons, Scene It? is the ultimate homage to TV's most famous dysfunctional family. You'll see cameos by your favorite characters, watch video clips from classic episodes, and be treated to the Simpsons soundtrack.

With hundreds of questions, Simpsons Scene It? has something for every type of Simpsons fan. The game is difficult enough to pose a challenge to Simpsons die-hards, but casual fans don't need to worry about being excluded. So long as you can identify recurring characters like Sideshow Bob and Ned Flanders, you will be able to answer some of the easier questions.

What's in the Box
DVD, Flextime game board, 4 collectible metal tokens, 175 trivia cards, 16 buzz cards, 4 category reference cards, six-sided numbered die, eight-sided category die, and instruction sheet.

View larger.

View larger.

View larger.

Five Crowns is a fast paced ingenious rummy-like card game. Its double deck contains five suits (the stars are new), but it has no aces or twos. This unique deck gives you many more options for arranging your hand into sets and sequences. The challenge is to see them make the right combinations, be the first to go out, then watch the others scramble as they get one last chance to cut their losses. Five Crowns, with its beautiful cards, is easy to learn. It starts with three cards and 3's are wild. The next hand has four cards and 4's are wild, and so on. You'll need luck and skill throughout the game because even in the last hand a worthy opponent can come from behind and win. Remember, "the game isn't over 'til the Kings go wild!" Five Crowns is for up to 2 to 7 players.

This handy little suitcase holds hours of fun! Great for parties, rainy days, camp, scouts, and much more. Make friendship bracelets for everyone you know! Kit includes 2 styles, 8 patterns, 22 bracelets! This package contains 22 colors of floss (solids, variegated, and multi-colored), 2 double-sided color-coded foam friendship looms, 2 best double-sided color-coded foam friend band looms, beads in various colors, beading needle, detailed instructions, and it is all packed inside of a convenient 8-1/2" x 9-3/8" x 2" neon bright suitcase with a acetate window, snap closure and a carry handle for taking your bracelet making on the go! All contents conform to ASTM F963. Recommended for children ages 8 and up. WARNING: Choking Hazard-small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

This magical ball may actually change your life! Just ask it a question then turn it over to reveal the answer. Ask it about matters of the heart-- will she be willing to go Dutch? Ask it about stock and bond choices-- did I see my broker on America's Most Wanted? Probe about the deep, dark secrets of friends and associates-- is that a toupee? Use for entertainment purposes only. (Please don't use it to bet junior's college money on a horse race. That would be a misuse of the ball.) Measures 4" in diameter.

Ever wish you could see into the future? If you answered "without a doubt" or "signs point to yes," you are in luck. It is easy to get a sneak preview into the future with Mattel's Magic 8 Ball. Take all the guesswork out of finding the answers to life's more perplexing questions. Yes, this is the same Magic 8 Ball you remember from the past, and it is just as reliable as ever. If you don't get the results you are after, you can always "ask again later!" --Alison Golder

October 2, 1900. 28 years to the day that noted London eccentric, Phileas Fogg accepted and then won a L20,000 bet that he could travel "Around the World in 80 Days". Now at the dawn of the century it was time for a new "impossible journey". Some old friends have gathered to celebrate Fogg's impetuous and lucrative gamble--and to propose a new wager of their own. The stakes: $1 Million in a winner-takes-all competition. The objective: to see which of them can travel by rail to the most cities in North America--in just 7 days. The journey begins immediately. Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure where players collect cards of various types of train cars that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. Included in this popular game made by Days of Wonder is a detailed board, game cards, help cards, rules, train miniatures, and more!

Join your friends in a race to claim railway routes across North America! Ticket to Ride, an award-winning strategy game, challenges players ages eight and older to complete multiple train routes connecting major cities. As miniature trains begin to populate the board map of North America, secret city-to-city rail connections are completed or hopelessly blocked by merciless competitors. Providing an enticing mixture of strategy and luck for groups of two to five players, Ticket to Ride squeezes the journey of a lifetime into a mere hour or less.

Ages: 8+ Requires: 2 to 5 players

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Railway race game balances strategy and luck of the draw. The Bad: Streamlined North American version less complex than its European counterpart. In a Nutshell: Game play often results in surprise endings.

Designed for two to five players, this highly-strategic board game will have players vying for train routes. View larger.

Secret Rail Destinations Keep Everyone Guessing
All the action takes place on a detailed, color-illustrated board map of North America. Newbies will want to dedicate 10 to 15 minutes to the well-organized instruction manual, then pass out miniature trains, train-car cards, and destination tickets to each player. Game play is straightforward and consists of only three possible moves per turn: drawing an additional train-car card, drawing a destination ticket, or building a train route.

The train-car cards are color-coded to match specific railway routes, so the basic idea is to collect multiple cards of the same color and then claim a route to score points. Destination tickets present an added challenge by assigning secret routes such as "Seattle to Montreal" and awarding bonus points for completion of these routes. Because the tickets are kept secret, each player's plan for railway domination won't be revealed until the end!

Ride the Rails in Less than an Hour
Because Ticket to Ride only requires two players and can be played in less than an hour, opportunities abound for trying different strategies. While your success relies somewhat on the luck of the draw, part of the fun is trying different strategies like drawing extra destination tickets, discarding difficult tickets, or vying for the longest continuous route (worth 10 points).

Surprise Winners and Reversals of Fortune
Once the miniature trains are played out, each player's destination tickets are revealed. Because an incomplete route can result in a loss of as many as 22 points, last-minute reversals of fortune are commonplace, and victory is never guaranteed.

While those who are already familiar with the more intricate European version of Ticket to Ride might be disappointed by this simpler version, beginners are sure to find it a wonderful introduction to the Days of Wonder board game series. Purchase of the game includes access to online game play, where additional maps and game variants await.

What's in the Box
One board map of North American train routes, 240 colored train cars (including additional replacement cars), 144 illustrated cards, five wooden scoring markers, one rules booklet, one Days of Wonder online access ticket.

Hatch elaborate plans on how to secure railway domination! View larger.

The game features real-life locations across the North American continent. View larger.

Rule the galaxy with the ultimate Republic starship! Built for ship-to-ship combat and bristling with turbo laser batteries, the Venator-class Republic Attack Cruiser is Grand Chancellor Palpatines personal flagship during the Clone Wars. Open the front panel to access the Chancellors quarters, reveal the hidden wing-cannons, and drop bombs on the Separatist forces below! Includes Chancellor Palpatine, 2 elite Senate commando bodyguards, 1 clone trooper pilot and 1 clone trooper gunner. Includes 5 minifigures: Chancellor Palpatine, 2 elite Senate commando bodyguards, 1 clone trooper pilot and 1 clone trooper gunner! Open the front hood to play inside Palpatine's detailed command center! Lift rear wings to reveal hidden gunnar and storage area for extra bombs and missiles! Lift rear wings to reveal hidden gunnar and storage area for extra bombs and missiles. Dimensions: Length = 20 inches (50.8cm), Width = 12 inches (30.5cm), Height = 7 inches (17.8cm). 1170 pieces. Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 3.4 x 14.9 inches ; 4.4 pounds. Recommended for age 9 - 14 years.

Engage in a galactic battle with the Star Wars Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser. This replica of Chancellor Palpatine's personal flagship during the Clone Wars is crafted from 1,170 LEGO pieces. Designed for ages 9 to 14, but with the potential to keep adults entertained, this detailed LEGO set is sure to set off a blast of creativity in anyone who plays with it.

Venator-class Republic Attack Cruiser Ages: 9 to 14 Pieces: 1170 Requires: Large, flat surface for assembly

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Clone Wars' themed set with plenty of details and hidden features. The Challenging: The ship is heavy and delicate, so it may be difficult for smaller kids to maneuver. In a Nutshell: Action-packed building set jump starts imaginative play.

The Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser is equipped with a hidden cannon under the wings. View larger.

Chancellor Palpatine and his elite Senate bodyguards are hidden behind a front panel. View larger.

Rule the Galaxy with the Ultimate Republic Starship
As seen in the film Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- in which the heroic Jedi Knights try to restore peace to the Galaxy as more and more members of the Republic fall under the influence of the Dark Side -- the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser provides an action-packed narrative setting to inspire imaginative play.

Every detail of the Republic flagship is packed into this 20-inch-long model, which includes a front panel that opens to reveal Palpatine's quarters, a hidden cannon under the wings, a drop-bomb launcher, an escape pod, and more. The Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser comes complete with five mini figures: Chancellor Palpatine, two of his elite Senate bodyguards, one Clone Trooper pilot, and one Clone Trooper gunner.

Building the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser
With 1,170 pieces and two colorful instruction booklets, the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser took our two adult testers approximately three-and-a-half hours to construct. The majority of the pieces come in shades of gray, so approaching construction requires a bit or organization and discipline. But once building is started, detailed step-by-step illustrations make assembly straightforward.

Overall, this set scores an excellent rating for its clever design elements. Just when you think you've discovered all the hidden weapons and command posts, you stumble across another. Our favorite features are the Palpatine mini figure -- complete with cloth cape and wrinkled brow -- the sliding gunner, the hidden Clone Trooper cockpit, the escape pod, the bomb dropper, and the Chancellor's enormous command center.

Finally, most of all, our testers enjoyed the way the narrative of this set allowed them to reenact the ship-to-ship combat seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. They also appreciated that the storyline is simple enough to make the set entertaining, whether or not your child has seen the film.

What's in the Box
1,170 LEGO pieces and two instruction booklets.

My First Lab Duo-Scope Microscopes uses are unlimited with dual lights. It has the flexibility to view both slides and solid items. View slides with the light shining up from below and view solid objects with the light shining down on the specimen. It is fun and educational for scientists of all ages. It includes over 50 pieces of accessories for hours of scientific research. It requires 3 AA batteries, which are not included. It contains glass and sharp instruments. Also it includes: vinyl dust cover, five plain slides, one concavity slide, four prepared slides, cover glass, plastic dropper, two bottles of stain, slide labels, lens paper, forceps, scalpel, plastic test tube, plastic Petri dish, straight teasing needle, and instruction manual and helpful hints. It features: 10X eyepiece; 4X, 10X, 40X objectives, 40X, 100X, 400X Magnification, real optical glass lenses, dual focusing knobs, two LED lights, and six hole disc diaphragms

Complete your N-Strike arsenal and prepare for the ultimate in battery-powered blasting! Be ready for any battle with the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster-- an awesome, fully automatic dart cannon! Load the blaster with fresh batteries and fire at a rate of up to three darts per second! Watch as the belt feeds automatically through the blaster, letting the barrage of firepower continue as you battle your opponent. The piston-powered internal launching system makes it an unstoppable force! Switch to single-shot mode for precision blasting. The removable tripod folds for easy transport or a quick escape from enemy fire! Even your toughest opponent wont know what hit him! Blaster comes with ammo box, folding tripod, 25-dart belt, and 25 Sonic Micro Darts ammo and instructions. Requires 6x 'D' batteries, not included. Ages 6 and up.

The Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 gives you the auto-blasting advantage when you're at foam-filled war with your friends and enemies. Children and adults ages 6 and up will love the EBF-25, the largest full auto blaster that Nerf makes. It lets you shoot 25 sonic micro darts at up to 3 darts per second for an offensive assault.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Machine gun-style Nerf gun fires multiple shots per second The Bad: The included 25 darts run out fast; gun is a bit too heavy for running around with In a Nutshell: A great addition to any Nerf artillery, the Vulcan EBF-25 provides an advantage thanks to the sheer force of shooting 25 darts in ten seconds At a Glance Ages: 6 and up Requires: 6 D batteries

This large, brightly colored Nerf gun shoots 3 darts per second.View larger.

25-shot belt feeds through the gun for a rapid-fire onslaught. View larger.

Full Auto Design Gives You a Quick-Firing Advantage
The first thing we noticed when we took the EBF-25 out of the box was how substantial it was. The gun itself was large, brightly colored in yellow and orange, and heavy enough for it to be a burden for quick missions; accessories included a tripod, ammobox, and ammobelt. The instruction booklet did a good job of describing the assembly process, which took about ten minutes. There is a handle that allows you to easily carry the gun around, but we would have appreciated a strap even more.

The darts are held inside an ammobox in a 25-shot belt, which is fed through the gun. You'll feel like Rambo when you carry the gun, or sit it on its tripod for taking out enemies by the bucketload. After we'd installed the required six D batteries (not included), we pulled the trigger to see the gun work methodically through our belt of darts. It took only 10 seconds to blast through the included 25 darts, flinging them thirty feet across the room. We wished there were more darts included in the box since it seemed a bit silly that we needed to spend a few minutes to pick up the ammo, and then reload them onto the belt, after shooting for only about ten seconds. A refill pack can be purchased separately, which, we think, would be a wise investment if you want to effectively beat your enemies.

The gun also has a single-shot mode that lets you shoot with extra precision. Rather than battery powered, you have to pull back on a spring-loaded lever, and then use the trigger release lever to shoot the dart. In our experience, you can achieve a little bit more distance this way than with the auto-fire mode.

Tactical Rail System Allows for Fun Additions
The Vulcan EBF-25 features the Nerf Tactical Rail System, allowing it to use most N-Strike accessories, such as the night vision Tactical light accessory for night-time missions.

For those interested in Nerf-fights, the Vulcan EBF-25 should be in everyone's artillery; the rapid-fire design gives players the advantage when engaging the enemy, and is ideal when it can be used on the back of a moving vehicle, or a stationary setting.

What's in the Box
Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 gun, tripod, ammobox, ammobelt.

Grades K - 6. Set contains 12 slides with a total of 48 specimens including pollens/spores, textiles, insects, tiny creatures, animals, and plants.

SpongeBob's trapped in Plankton's lab, with 12 ailments designed to make him blab! Can you help your Bikini Bottom buddy keep the Krabby Patty recipe a secret' Perform delicate undersea surgery on his Barnacle Brain, Clammy Hands and Patty Pleasure Center without setting off the buzzer. The surgeon with the steadiest hands earns top pay and saves the day. Includes gameboard with SpongeBob SquarePants "patient" and tweezers, 24 cards, 12 plastic Funatomy parts, play money and rules. Requires 2 "AA" batteries, not included.